We're proud to help expand POLITICO's coverage of artificial intelligence (AI) and elections this year through this dedicated series.
As a global foundation working to protect democracies from digital threats, from illegal data collection to polarizing algorithms, we believe that the role of AI in the 2024 global election marathon will We understand that it will shape public debate and policy for years to come.
At its best, technology fosters connection, creativity, and action. But whether it's a single deepfake, a major influence operation deployed using generative AI, or a social media feed made more addictive by machine learning, AI deployments in 2024 will It will challenge regulators, captivate the public and shape a lasting narrative ahead of policymakers. Ability to catch up. It may take longer to separate moral panic from AI’s real impact on disinformation, polarization, and hatred.
The most important beats in journalism today
Even for tech-focused charities like ours with the expertise at our disposal, the upheaval of AI poses challenges that we, like society and governments, are only beginning to consider.
That's why quality journalism is so important.
Independent media will play a major role in charting AI-induced social disruption in real time, unraveling the mysteries, and holding tech companies accountable for the harm caused by their products.
We are experiencing a frenzied information age, undermined and eroded by Big Tech companies that profit from distorting democracy and amplifying anger. A byproduct of this business model is the extinction-level threat facing public interest media, as monolithic and divisive newsfeeds replace robust and adversarial journalism, draining it of funding.
In other words, it's a vital beat.
In this series, we discuss the impact of AI on disinformation in Europe (with a particular focus on Germany, France, and Poland) and around the world during the 2024 global election cycle.
The US and UK polls are also of interest to many people across borders, but it was important to include the impact of AI and disinformation in a context that is not often covered. Therefore, in this series, we will look at the impact of the Mexican poll and Indonesia's February vote results.
The risks of AI-powered disinformation and algorithmic distortion of public debate exist everywhere, but they are even more pronounced in non-Western parts of the world where social media companies are known to invest less in security measures. It may become.
Europe's important role in technology regulation
AI may not be able to sway this year's elections on its own, but that's beside the point.
In the words of journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa (we proudly support her and Dmitry Muratov's 10-point plan to address the information crisis), here: What is at stake is very simple, it is our shared reality.
By partnering with POLITICO in Europe, we also recognize the EU's leadership role in promoting responsible technology regulation. Europe has a unique opportunity to assert oversight of Big Tech companies if it can overcome the repeated enforcement challenges associated with ambitious regulations such as the GDPR or the Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, and AI Act. .
The EU's large market size means that changes to meet EU standards can have a global impact as companies adjust their products and policies around the world.
But despite these favorable conditions, Europe still struggles to rein in its technology industry. The problem lies in misaligned incentives. Although strong laws exist, underfunded regulators and regulatory bottlenecks in each country (particularly Ireland) create gaps in enforcement.
Democracy and sovereignty over technology
What is also needed is to increase the political importance of European technology regulation and ensure that its ambitions do not get bogged down in member states' bureaucracies.
As with an orderly transition to renewable energy, this is a core question of democratic integrity and sovereignty. But technology policy remains rarely treated that way.
The threat posed by AI-driven disinformation is frightening, but not insurmountable. Through rigorous journalism, strong regulation, and a renewed commitment to democratic oversight of technology and the companies that deploy it, we will unlock the power of technology while upholding the principles of strong, resilient, and open societies. potential protection.
For Luminate, this series marks an important step in that journey. We hope this series shines a light on the challenges around us and inspires others to invest in a more secure digital future.